Monday, September 28, 2009

This is old news for some of you, but Singapore Writers Festival is starting on 24 October 2009 and I see a few interesting names from the comics industry who will be there. Sonny Liew, Troy Chin, Lat, Rhaimie Wahap and Rizal Wahap, Neil Gaiman and Mark Waid will be giving various talks at The Arts House.

http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/

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24 Oct 2009, 12:30 pmMeet the Author: LAT

Price: FreeVenue : Chamber

Moderator: Lim Cheng Tju

Mohd Nor Bin Khalid is familiar to his fans as Lat, the popular Malaysian cartoonist whose earthy humour has brought on smiles and touched many hearts. He will share his inspirations and experiences as a published cartoonist with more than 20 books to his name, as well as his work as the editorial cartoonist for Malaysia’s New Straits Times newspaper.

Supported by G&B Comics

Event end: 1.30pm

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24 Oct 2009, 1:30 pmMeet the Author: Mark Waid

Price: FreeVenue : Chamber

Moderator: Terence Chua

Fans of comics and graphic novels will be excited to meet Mark Waid, a comic book writer and editor who has produced best-selling titles like Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright. He will speak about his current post as editor-in-chief of independent comic book company BOOM! Studios, and share what he is working on at the moment.

Supported by G&B Comics and the Embassy of the United States of America

Event end: 2.30pm

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24 Oct 2009, 3:00 pm, Arts HouseComics - A Timeless Narrative

Price: FreeVenue : Chamber

Featuring: Lat, Mark Waid, Sonny LiewModerator: Terence Chua

From young to old, everybody loves a good comic! Join American comic writer Mark Waid (whose notable works include The Flash, Captain America and Superman), Malaysian-born Singapore-based comic artist Sonny Liew and beloved Malaysian comic artist Lat in a panel that reflects on the challenges of drafting a good narrative and on writing comics from an American or Asian angle.

When a priceless artefact goes missing from a museum, five best friends discover that their new classmate from Hawaii turns out to be the unusual suspect. Children between the ages of nine and 13, or adults with the love for sequential art, are welcome to join author Rhaimie Wahap and illustrator Rizal Wahap as they chat about their debut graphic novel introducing the Mystery Investigators-Five.

Event end: 1.30pm

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31 Oct 2009, 4:30 pmWho Killed Amanda Palmer

Price: FreeVenue : Chamber

Tickets required for entry.Available at The Arts House Box Office from 26 Sept (Sat), 11am, on a first-come-first-serve basis. Limited to ONE pair per person. Limited seats available.

Featuring: Amanda Palmer and Neil GaimanModerator: Terence Chua

Amanda Palmer is a performer most noted for being the lead singer, pianist and lyricist/composer of American music duo, The Dresden Dolls, whose musical style she described as “Brechtian punk cabaret”. English author Neil Gaiman accompanies her in a reading of several extracts from their new photo book, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, a macabre collection of Amanda in death poses with texts written by Neil.

Event end: 5.30pm

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01 Nov 2009, 12:00 pmOur Local Super Heroes

Price: FreeVenue : Earshot

Featuring: Sonny Liew, Troy ChinModerator: Gwee Li Sui

Calling all comics devotees and fans of Eisner-nominated comic artist and illustrator, Sonny Liew. You’re in for a treat, as we take a look at creative works that Sonny and emerging Singaporean comic artist Troy Chin have accomplished over the years. Both living and working in Singapore, Sonny and Troy will share their experiences in conceptualising their comics and getting them into print.

Tickets required for entry.Available at The Arts House Box Office from 26 Sept (Sat), 11am, on a first-come-first-serve basis. Limited to ONE pair per person. Limited seats available.

Moderator: Lim Cheng Tju

English author Neil Gaiman has achieved worldwide fame for coming up with The Sandman comic series and graphic novels like Violent Cases (1987) and Signal to Noise (1992). In his novel, American Gods (2001), he blends Americana, fantasy and modern mythology for a captivating read. At this session, he will share some of his experiences and inspirations behind his many graphic novels and writings in the fantasy genre.

Event end: 3pm

This will be followed by autograph signing outdoors.

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31 Oct 2009, 3:00 pmNeil Gaiman

Price: FreeVenue : Chamber

Tickets required for entry. Available at The Arts House Box Office from 26 Sept (Sat), 11am, on a first-come-first-serve basis. Limited to ONE pair per person. Limited seats available.

Moderator: Lim Cheng Tju

You may know Neil Gaiman for his novels and graphic novels in the science fiction and fantasy genres, but he is also an expert in the field of children’s literature, having written The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish (1997), Coraline (2002) and The Graveyard Book (2008) for the younger set. Find out if he writes in a different mindset when positioning his stories for children and teens.

Some of the best books I read this year, old and new, are about family relationships.

- Stitches by David Small (Norton)- The Complete Jack Survives by Jerry Moriarty (Buenaventura Press)- George Sprott by Seth (D&Q)- Collected Essex County by Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)-- Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli (Pantheon)- Garage Band by Gipi (First Second, this is old)- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Mariner, this is old)

Sunday, September 13, 2009

The most fun comics related book i've read in a while. Brian Cronin runs through the comic book legends we've come to love and wonder...was Wolverine meant to be an actual wolverine? Which comic book character inspired Elvis Presley's iconic hairdo? Did the inventor of the lie detector test also invent Wonder Woman's lasso of truth? Did Stan Lee feature a gay character in one of Marvel's 1960s war comics? Did the Ghost Rider meet Jesus in the late 1970s? And was Bruce Banner sodomized at the Y in The Hulk #23? (written by Jim Shooter no less)